The Gotthard Railway – Laghi Maggiore Como & Lugano

About this poster

The railway was a symbol of progress in the 19th century, and the opening of the Gotthardbahn in 1882 was accordingly a grand event. The Gotthardbahn was a crucial connector between northern and southern Europe, and passengers experienced the novel mode of travelling at great speed as an exciting adventure. Combining all these associations, the advertisements for the Gotthard Railway from the early 20th century showed breath-taking alpine landscapes alongside exotic scenes on the Mediterranean, Edelweiss and lemon blossoms, and promised adventure, wanderlust and luxury as well as punctuality, reliability and comfort.